Costs cheaper than American prices! But for many Indians medical costs are becoming unaffordable. Medical costs in India may be cheaper in India when compared to America, but does it mean that medical costs are cheap in India for the average Indian.

Have you ever wondered how local Indians feel about the health costs in India? How does an average Indian middle class family deal with medical emergencies, such as when a loved one suffers from an heart attack? A patient hospitalized after an heart attack in India may have to cough up about two lakh of rupees in medical costs.

This is a conservative figure. Many hospitals in India are now money making enterprises. Profit is the main motive behind medical care, not only in India but also in countries like the United States of America.

I recently had first hand experience with hospitals in India when a family member had to be admitted in hospital. Having lived abroad for over 35 years, I was amazed and saddened by what I saw. Medical costs are now becoming a common cause of anxiety not only for the poor but also for middle class people in India.

Middle class families have no choice now but to seek medical insurance to protect themselves. In many cases where people do get medical insurance, they are not well informed as to what exactly they are covered for and what the amount they would be getting paid in case they require medical treatment.